PHILADELPHIA — Jason Babin hasn’t endeared himself to critics upset over his lack of production and Twitter requests for Eagles fan loyalty.

Still, he can’t hide the rage he felt over what he called “a section of fans chanting some of the most vile things” he’s ever heard at the Eagles’ last game, the 30-17 loss to the Atlanta Falcons at Lincoln Financial Field.

Listening to some of the very personal taunts Babin felt were directed at the coaching staff and in the vicinity of women and children, you can understand why the veteran bristled.

“I just thought there’s no place for that in the NFL,” Babin said Thursday. “None whatsoever. I mean just some of the foul things they were saying. Yeah, I’m going to be protective of Coach Reid, Coach Wash (Jim Washburn) and my teammates. It was upsetting that a few bad apples were chanting that kind of stuff. But what are you going to do?”

Babin stressed that it was a few fans, not the whole crowd, that were vocal and vulgar.

“It’s way past bad,” Babin said. “It’s foul.”

If it persists the next step could be fan assist, where ushers and security personnel address the matter.

Babin leads the Eagles with 2½ sacks but hasn’t dropped a quarterback in four games.

While teammate Brandon Graham was under the impression he would split repetitions with Babin at practice and possibly when the Eagles oppose the Saints Monday in New Orleans, something got lost in the translation.

“It’s news to me,” said Babin, confirming he got the usual snaps at practice. “Be careful who you believe.”

The target Monday is Drew Brees. The Saints’ quarterback has been sacked just 13 times in 315 attempts, the fifth-lowest sacks-per-pass play ratio in the league. Brees gets rid of the ball fast. He’s thrown a touchdown pass in an NFL record 50 straight games.

With Mardy Gilyard (hamstring) out of action this week, Damaris Johnson will return punts versus the Saints, according to Eagles head coach Andy Reid.

Defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins (knee) and right guard Danny Watkins (ankle) both sat out practice Thursday. Jenkins got a maintenance day. Watkins is unlikely to make the trip this weekend.

Everyone else practiced fully, including quarterback Michael Vick, who banged up his right hand in the loss to the Falcons.

The list includes veteran defensive tackle Mike Patterson, who felt “pretty good” working into rotation with the first and second units.

Teammates expect Patterson to be activated Monday. That would require the Eagles to cut a player or put someone such as Gilyard on injured reserve.

On a conference call Thursday, Vitt said he was an Eagles fan when he was a first-year NFL assistant coach coming to then Veterans Stadium for a preseason game in 1979.

Vitt said he idolized guys like Jack Concannon, Tim Rossovich and Bill Bradley.

“Who’s not an Eagles fan back there?” Vitt wanted to know.

Told the list had grown, Vitt interjected “You know what? I’ve just got to get a lot of my friends to this day, to stop calling WIP and tell them to go get a job.”

WIP Radio 94.1-FM is the Eagles’ flagship station.

All kidding aside, Vitt suspects the Saints’ awful defensive performance is largely a product of poor tackling. The Saints are allowing an average of 474.7 yards per game. The 1981 Baltimore Colts set the NFL record allowing 424.6 yards.